Music Teachers are from Mars...

...Principals are from Zeta Prime in the Delta Quadrant (1)

Dear Principal Palpatine,

It seems that in all of our time arguing in meetings, I've been seriously misinterpreting you. It's my fault, really. I have this childlike way of taking everything anyone says at face value. With you I have to read in between the lines. I thought you wanted to turn the music department into a PR machine for the school. Now I know that the PR aspect was only a positive side-affect of what you're really after.

You say: "Word on the street (2) is that you run an elitist music department, you only cater to a select few. You need to service a wider aspect of the school population."

What you mean is: "From what I've seen (3), you work mostly with the AP and Honors kids. These students should not be distracted by the arts programs. Stop hogging them. You should be focusing your efforts on the "Middle 40" students. Those kids aren't going to help our API scores, nor get into good schools anyway. We might as well put them to good use (4)"

Mrs. Palpatine,

It may surprise you to know that the *MY SCHOOL* music department does indeed service a diverse selection of the school population (5). The truth is, I'm not trying to attract a student from a particular demographic. I don't care if the students are high-performance low-performance or somewhereinbetweeny. I only want a genuine desire to make music. What I think you find distressing is that a considerable number of AP and Honors students are attracted to the arts. I know this is unacceptable, since everyone knows that artists and musicians are generally undesirable characters to begin with. (6) Also, it's not like the arts get you in to any prestigious schools. Thus we are ruining these kids potential just as sure as if we were getting them hooked on drugs.

Yes, it's true, I have a tendency to favor classical music. Aside from being a classical lover myself, I think it has an unarguably high educational value. The problem is, classical music isn't as appealing to your "Middle 40".... at least that's what you believe. Thus, you would have me downgrade the quality of music to attract the "low-brow" student population.

This is the thing I find insulting... especially on behalf of the student. What you're saying is that these "Middle 40" kids are incapable of handling, or even liking classical music. But that's not the point is it? You don't really care what it is I'm teaching the kids. You are however, interested in what I should use to lure these "half-motivated" kids in.

And speaking of luring - when you suggested in yesterday's meeting that we conduct a survey to assess the student interest in the formation of a marching band at *MY SCHOOL* you were quick to include that I must enthusiastically back the idea. But see, if I do that, then I'm not really getting an idea of what people want... I'm selling the idea that you want to put in place.

No. I'm sorry. If there is an interest in the community, then we'll talk. But I'm not going to take responsibility for creating an interest where there is none. I'm also going to hold strong to the belief that the arts are valid, and indeed important aspect of the high-performance student, as well as the idea that exposing students of all levels to quality repertoire is infinitely better than programming repertoire that only appeals to the student's existing popular tastes.

I am, however, thoroughly impressed at how driven you are. Just when I thought you'd had some of the wind taken out of your sails, you return anew. You may well be the most dangerous individual in education I've yet met.


(1) As far as we can tell. The omicron detectometer gets a little fuzzy when you try to fix on a location past a bajillion-gazillion light-centuries.

(2) By "word on the street" you mean the fictional people who project your opinion for you in a Beau Geste attempt to make me feel outnumbered.

(3) Since I can't be bothered to show up to your concerts, I'm basing my opinion of your program on the few school events that I will attend that you happen to bring a performing group to.

(4) The management reserves the right to define the terms of "good use"

(5) or did you forget about all those kids you signed up for band... you know, the ones who didn't want to be there?

(6) That impression has been around for centuries, really